Binding replacement on the Nunes

This is another picky repair. Replacing the missing binding is not hard, just time consuming and fussy.

This is the problem. 1.25 inches of missing binding. Eight chunks are missing.

I cut apart some maple and - whatever this dark wood is. It was a close match for color, and that was all I cared about.

Truing up the maple thickness.

Looks good.

Getting ready for gluing. I decided to use the bridge I made the other day as a mold to place the pieces against.

Not bad. Super glue, and accelerant.

Did I say I needed eight pieces? Yes, but there is NO WAY that I am going to be so accurate that I will get this perfectly right. The extra dark piece will go against a dark piece in the original binding, and will allow me to fuss and get it to fit perfectly without having to worry about the compounding errors of individual piece thickness.

Now I had to get a curve to fit the space. I'm sure that the original installation was much easier, thinner, possibly even wet.

That's just about right. I fussed around back and forth, thinned it out a bit, tried to get it really close, and tried not to worry about it too much. None of the original binding is completely perfect, so I don't have to be either. And, again, if you want perfect binding, DON'T LOSE PART OF IT!!

Slathered up with glue and ready to put in. I used boring old wood glue, because it will clean up well and give time for me to wiggle the piece into place.

I didn't get a picture of the clamp up, because some stupid squirrel started eating the tiny fruits out of the tree above me, and dumping chunks of stuff all over the table. I rushed everything into the garage, and headed inside.

I don't like squirrels.


Update - a few hours later

Okay, I finished up the binding work.

Trimming the repair down VERY carefully, using paring cuts, slicing diagonally, easy does it.

*%!(!*%(*!!!!!!! Almost done, and a piece pops out.

Super Glue (thick stuff) and a knife to help me hold the miscreant in place.

It will work.

Using a file to refine the curve and level the patch.

Not bad - not bad at all!

I wiped on some shellac, and it looked quiet a bit better. The patch is less obvious, but the binding still sticks out. Also, it's not red enough, so I need to make up a batch of darker shellac.

Phew! I was ready to jump out a window when that piece fell out, but it worked out okay.